


Meminisse Te

by Cyrokin



Series: Mira and Skeet [2]
Category: The Hollow (Cartoon)
Genre: F/M, Friendship, I'll add more characters as they appear - Freeform, Light Romance, Lost Memories, Mira Angst, Post Season 2, Skeet Lives, Skeet gets angst too, just read the story, well kinda
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-15
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:41:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 13,627
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24193753
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cyrokin/pseuds/Cyrokin
Summary: Skeet was dead. That much was certain. They'd all seen the body--- there was no doubt that he was dead. They'd buried him and said their goodbyes, then left his grave behind. Mira was moving on with her life, as much as she missed her old friend. But then the unexpected showed up at her front door and turned her world upside down once again.STATUS: Happy Valentine's Day!!!
Relationships: Mira & Skeet, Mira/Skeet (The Hollow)
Series: Mira and Skeet [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1755694
Comments: 14
Kudos: 48





	1. Adventus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _I remember how we used to play_  
>  _I remember how you used to feel_  
>  _I remember what you used to say_  
>  _But something remained..._  
>  "Theatre of Redemption" by Harmony

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All right, Hollowers. Listen to this author's note and listen to it well. I'm posting this to see how well it goes over. I have too many fanfiction priorities that take long enough to do without adding another one to the mix, so I don't know if I'm going to do much at all with this fic. It's not meant to be plot-heavy as my other fics are. I just wanted to write something bittersweet with Mira and Skeet. I find the background of their friendship and the tragedy of his death to be a great recipe for fiction-fodder.
> 
> So, if I don't update this one much, you'll know why. But eh, I may update it faster than my other works. Who knows? Do you want more? Because I have more ideas.

Any other day, Mira would have been hanging out with friends. But the weather was terrible today, and Mira did _not_ feel like venturing out of the house into such a storm. And, with her parents out and Miles over at Kai's, Mira spent her afternoon alone. Nothing wrong with a little time to herself. She enjoyed the quiet time to think. No doting fathers to ask her what was up, and no annoying little brother to derail her train of thought. It was nice. A great time to work on some sudokus in the living room.

At least, that's what she'd thought. A knock on the door yanked away her focus. With a sigh, Mira got up and marched to the door, expecting one of her friends, or perhaps Miles coming back to look for something he'd left behind. After checking the peephole, Mira determined it couldn't have been her brother--- the figure standing outside was too tall. The view through the hole was foggy, but she could make out enough color to know that it wasn't Adam. As a matter of fact, the figure outside looked a lot like _Skeet_.

But that wasn't him. It _couldn't_ be. Skeet was dead. She'd seen his body.

Cautious but burning to alleviate this heart-pounding curiosity, Mira opened the door. Her heart stopped beating for an undetermined amount of time when she saw...

...But how? She had held him in her arms. _She had helped bury his body_.

Yet here he was, standing on her porch beside her motorbike, soaking wet and wringing out his beanie. Mira could only stare, mouth hanging open, as he met her gaze and flashed her a friendly smile. "Hey. What's up, Meerkat?"

Mira didn't respond. She continued to stand and stare, the blood racing through her ears. She began to feel lightheaded. Was he a ghost? He didn't look like a ghost. "How... how did you get here?" she managed, choking on every word.

"I ran. It's too wet to skate." Skeet gave his beanie a final shake before plastering it back down onto his head. "Didn't stop me from getting _soaked_ , though. Awful weather, huh?"

"No! I mean... yes, the weather is... but I meant, about you, how did you... GET here? I mean... you died."

Skeet blinked, as a glazed look claimed his features. "What?"

" _You_... are supposed to be _dead!_ " Mira exclaimed.

Skeet's brow furrowed. "OK... I know we ain't seen each other in a while but..."

"In _the Hollow!_ Skeet, you died in _the Hollow!_ Don't you remember?"

Skeet's expression grew even more confused. "The... Hollow? Is... that a TV show?"

"Yes! Kind of. It's a game show. But you were a player in the actual _game_. But we all got trapped inside. And... you died and I couldn't... _We_ couldn't..."

Skeet stood confused for a few seconds. Then something seemed to dawn on him. "Oooohhh! I get it now."

"You do?" Mira's heart pounded.

Skeet put _a very real-feeling_ hand on Mira's shoulder. "You musta been having a nightmare!" He laid his other hand over his chest. "See, I'm alive, and I've never even _heard_ of a game show called _the Hollow_."

 _Oh_. Mira understood now. This... wasn't... _her_ Skeet. He was a copy without any memory of the game, or of anything they'd gone through recently. Just like the other people in this simulation. A strong disappointment settled in her stomach, along with her rapidly-sinking heart. This Skeet was clueless--- void of any shared experience but their childhood friendship and their casual visits in the years since.

That... that really sucked. But it made sense.

"No, Skeet... it wasn't a nightmare. But _you're_ not dead. But at the same time..." Mira's voice trailed off. She stared straight forward, mind buzzing.

Skeet folded his arms. "Are you gonna keep talking crazy or are you gonna let me come in?"

"Oh! Sorry." Should she let him in? This was all a bit much to take in--- yet not so foreign she couldn't grasp it, considering the circumstances. But Mira still had questions. Namely... _why_ and _how? How_ had this happened? This simulation wasn't able to spawn new characters out of the blue like this, was it? She'd thought this simulation was set in stone. All things considered... maybe she should watch this new Skeet for a while. After all, he'd come running through an intense rainstorm to pay her a visit. That had to mean _something_.

"Yeah!" Mira brushed aside a loose strand of hair. "Yeah. Come in."

So he did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wrote this first "chapter" within the day so I didn't really do much editing. Also may be using this fic as an excuse to theorize, as I always try to do in my stories, despite the casual nature of this little project.
> 
> As for my larger projects, this friggin' second season has taken over my brain and it'll be awhile before I regain my Hollow Beyond legs, lol. Nevertheless I have fresh ideas and a good break to do something else may ultimately benefit the outcome of WLB Chapter 9. Considering also de-hiatusing (that's not a word, I don't care) Infection because it ironically seems to have increased in traffic since the current situation unfolded. XD
> 
> -Cy


	2. Quis Es

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Tell me,_  
>  _How does it feel to have a face like that?_  
>  _How does it feel to be replaced like that?_  
>  _Now so faceless, do you still feel?_  
>  _This isn't me, this isn't you_  
>  _When it's just everything we do_  
>  _'Til you open up your eyes_  
>  _And understand this isn't real_  
>  "Open Your Eyes" by Sum 41

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapter! And tweaked a few things in Chapter 1 that I noticed were odd or unclear. I usually spend more time editing, lol. Glad y'all enjoyed the last chapter!

Her initial questions had been why and how. But soon after Mira let this Skeet into her house, she'd come up with an even better question: _Who?_ Who _was_ this guy? He was Skeet... but he wasn't the same Skeet who had died saving her life. He was a computer program... but then, so was she. He, whoever he was, was as real and as tangible as her own family. This Skeet, whatever he was, had feelings and emotions just like she did. Even if he was unaware of the Hollow, everything else seemed to check out on the _sentience_ scale.

She carried on a casual (if awkward) conversation with him as he paced back and forth through the house. Mira had refused to let him sit down due to his sopping wet clothes. He was plainly miffed about that--- very Skeet of him to immediately want to crash on the couch. _Especially_ Skeet of him to actually go through and crash on the couch in wet clothes anyway, for anyone other than Mira. Of course, she couldn't test _that_ hypothesis, since her couch, as the exception, was the only point of comparison right now. And that was no comparison at all.

But everything else about him only needed to be compared to Mira's memory of him. And since her memories of him were quite fresh, she assumed herself to be a good judge of accuracy. He walked like Skeet. He talked like Skeet. He did boneheaded things (such as running through a blinding rainstorm) like Skeet.

"Hey, are these cinnamon rolls up for grabs?"

Raiding the refrigerator without permission. _Also_ very much like Skeet.

"Well, considering they're _leftovers_ , I'd say yeah," said Mira. Oh yes, this guy was _definitely_ Skeet. But knowing he wasn't the first digital Skeet to exist still unsettled her. He was _a_ Skeet--- one of several to have ever existed--- and that was weird. She didn't know what to think, _or_ what to say. And Mira had always prided herself on always knowing what to say. This situation? Frustrating, to say the least.

Skeet came back into the living room, munching on one of the leftover cinnamon rolls. He finally seemed to notice the glazed, unintentionally scrutinizing look she'd been giving him the entire time he'd been in her house. "OK, Mira. What's the deal with you today?" He leaned over the back of one armchair, facing Mira. His brow was furrowed with the same blend of frustration and confusion Mira felt. "You've been actin' all _weird_ ever since I showed up. You feelin' OK?"

"I'm fine!" Mira exclaimed--- more snappish than she'd intended, she realized. _Tone it down!_ "Really. I am. You just caught me by surprise." _Understatement of the year, Mira_. "I mean, _you_ ran all the way out to see me in the middle of a rainstorm and you _still_ haven't told me why. That seems pretty weird to me."

Skeet shrugged and shoved the cinnamon roll into his mouth. "Ya got me. _You_ said I was supposed to be _dead_. And you're calling _me_ the weird one?"

Despite the situation (or perhaps because of it), Mira huffed a little laugh. She quirked an eyebrow. "Skeet... we _both_ know _I'm_ the weird one."

"You don't say!" Skeet seemed to lighten up at that point, but he kept a concerned eye on her. "Normally? A _cool_ weird. But today you're just _weird_ weird."

Mira narrowed her eyes at him, then sighed. "Look. I'm just... I'm distracted. I had the place to myself, and then _you_ showed up, and this whole situation is crazy enough as it was without... you know."

Skeet shook his head. "Uh, no. I _don't_ know."

" _The Hollow_."

" _That_ again?" A metaphorical lightbulb appeared over Skeet's head. "Hey, maybe you could tell me more about your nightmare."

"Skeet, I told you, it _wasn't_ a nightmare."

"Well it couldn't have been _real_ ," said Skeet. "I don't got a clue what you're going on about. I've never been on a game show. Plus, I'm not dead." He finished off the cinnamon roll. "Dead men don't _eat_."

"I _know_ you're not dead," sighed Mira. How could she put this without confusing her poor friend even more? "OK. Skeet, I need to tell you something. But it's going to sound crazy, and I'm not sure you're gonna believe it. But it'll make everything I've said so far make _so_ much more sense."

Skeet shrugged and ambled closer to where Mira sat, then plopped down on the floor. "I've got time. Besides." He chuckled. "You can't make less sense than you already do right now."

"Try me," Mira challenged.

Skeet leaned onto the armchair behind him, arms folded behind his head. "Go for it."

But where to begin? Mira drew a deep breath and sighed. "All right. A few years ago, you and I got into this game called the Hollow. We played on different teams, but both our teams were really good. Our teams both ended up competing on the game show for the championship, but... well, to make a long story short, the company behind the game harvested our memories and created this... _elaborate simulation_ of our lives based on our memories. And cloned us, the players." Mira threw out her arms, indicating the room around them. "This room. This house. This entire world. Me, you, and _all_ the people we know. All of it is _digital_."

Skeet's brow was furrowed in confusion. Slowly, he seemed to be putting things together. "So... you're saying we're all in some sort of Matrix?"

"I told you it would sound crazy," said Mira.

"Crazy... but _wicked!_ " Skeet's eyes were wild with excitement. He sat back up, a weird little smile on his face. "I knew virtual tech's come a long way but I never thought they could..." He trailed off, again resuming a more confused expression. "Wait a minute. If that's true, how come _you_ remember all this and _I_ don't? And what does _any_ of that have to do with me dyin'?"

"Because in the game, your original clone... the one with those memories... _he's_ the one that died." Now Skeet seemed _very_ confused. Mira let out a frustrated huff. "Look. Skeet. I wish there was some way I could prove that I'm telling the truth right now, but I can't show you my powers right now and---"

"Whoah--- _what?_ Powers? _What_ powers?"

"I can talk to animals and breathe underwater." Mira shrugged. "No animals, no water. Apparently our powers from the Hollow carried over to our digital clones."

"What was my power?" Skeet asked. He seemed genuinely curious, albeit still skeptical.

Mira chuckled. "What else? Super speed."

Skeet nodded, seemingly impressed by what he was hearing. "Awesome."

Mira swallowed. "And... do... you know if you might still have that power?" she asked.

Skeet thought about it, then shrugged. "Never tried."

An idea struck Mira. "You ran all the way here!" she burst. "Was there any moment where you felt like you were going _faster_ than usual?"

"Not that I can think of." Skeet snorted. "But how am I supposed to think of _anything_ right now? That's a lotta stuff to take in, Mira. The world is _fake?_ I'm a _clone?_ " He shook his head. "And if I'm a clone, what about _real_ me?"

"I know. It was hard for me to hear too." Mira stood up. "Come to Holey Donuts tomorrow at noon and I think I can prove I'm telling the truth." Skeet rose to his feet as well. Mira gave him a little smile. "But for now, just go home and think about it."

Though plainly still confused, Skeet smiled in return. "OK. Sounds like a plan. I'll be there." He headed for the front door, Mira trailing behind him. She didn't know why she was asking him these questions about his super speed. Perhaps she hoped that if this Skeet still had his power, there was a chance that his memories weren't gone. That maybe, there was a chance of bringing them back. It was a foolish hope. But what else did Mira have? She wanted her friend back, with _all_ his memories in tact.

"Hey Skeet?"

"Hmm?" He turned back around to look at her.

Mira set her hand on his shoulder. "You never told me why you _ran through a storm_ just to come talk to me."

The handful of racketty gears in his head turned behind his eyes. It was such a simple question--- yet it seemed as if every ounce of brain power he could muster was working on his answer. At last, he released the tension with a shrug. "Dunno. Just wanted to, I guess."

So he walked out the door bewildered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How much do I like this pairing? I'm writing about it in a purely relationship-focused context. That means something about it hit home for me. Believe it or not, despite working within the realm of fanfiction for nine years at this point, this is something totally new for me. Well, kind of. I haven't written a ship-focused story since 2013 and that was in a drabble collection. Usually when I write relationships it's within the context of a larger plot and it's been this way for MOST of my writing years.
> 
> So this is new. And it's kinda fun. :>


	3. Pro Certo Scio

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Faster than my consciousness_  
>  _Beyond my self control_  
>  _Just now I realized I will never change_  
>  _The things before it's too late_  
>  "LST CNTRL" by Eralise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bear with me--- the writing in this chapter may be a bit awkward. This whole fic was supposed to be from Mira's perspective but I had a wonderful idea at roughly 4 in the morning while considering what to do next the other night... This is my first attempt at writing from Skeet's POV and I gotta say it was fun. But I'm still trying to grasp his voice and find a way to write using his informal tone, while also keeping the writing good.
> 
> Now, I've always had a soft spot for the guy since early in my Hollow obsession, but I can't say he's too terribly developed as a character. There's enough ground to start from though. I'm still in the process of profiling him with the newest information in mind, filling in the blanks as I go. I'm starting to become fond of Clone!Skeet here, lol.
> 
> Hope it's enjoyable! :>

Heavy metal music blasted through his ear buds as he breezed down the street on his skateboard, the wind violently whipping through his bangs. He knew he should get his hair cut (like his mom had been telling him to do for three weeks), but the beanie kept it out of his eyes just fine. Besides, he had other things to be concerned about besides hair in his eyes.

Like all this stuff Mira'd been telling him about the world and people being fake. Freaky stuff like that.

Skeet didn't know if he believed her or not, or if he even _wanted_ to believe her. Ninety percent of him fought against the idea. As if something in him rebelled against _any_ notion of being in a video game. But the idea was pretty sick... and also kinda creepy. Skeet liked video games and VR as much as the next guy, but _living_ in a game? What did that even imply? He didn't think too much about it; trying just gave him a headache and screwed with his cool vibe.

The rest of him, as hesitant as he was, had full trust in Mira. She _had_ been pretty serious, after all. The look on her face hadn't been madness, but _amazement_. Shock, even. From Skeet's perspective, they'd seen each other a month ago, in an ordinary place where nothing weird went down. If that was Mira's experience too, then why had she been so amazed to see him?

He'd never seen her so shocked to see _anyone_ before, much less her lifelong _buddy_. That was always all he'd been to her--- Skeet had known that for years. But her _full attention_ had been on him in a whole new way yesterday. Skeet had been waiting years for her to pay that much attention to him. He'd just always hoped for the _I-like-you_ variety of attention. Not that haunted stare she was giving him yesterday.

Maybe she _was_ crazy, but as her friend, Skeet would give her the benefit of the doubt. The last thing he wanted to do was blow her off.

The donut shop came quickly over the horizon, and within seconds he spotted Mira sitting at one of the tables with two friends and a box of donuts. There was Adam--- Mira's best friend since first grade. Skeet also recognized the redhead with them as Mira's brother's friend, but he didn't know why Kai, of all people, would be hanging with Mira and Adam.

Or, no. It was because of the... the thing. Whatever it was. _Something_ stood out about that trio, but he couldn't put his finger on it--- and he didn't feel like pouring any brain power into it right now, because Mira had just spotted him coming. She said something to her pals. When they looked in his direction, their jaws dropped open with that same look of shock Mira had given him at the door yesterday.

That should have worried Skeet, but he was (oddly) not alarmed. He rolled right up to their table, braked, and kick-flipped the skateboard right into his hand. He shoved one hand into his pocket, turned off his music, and leaned against the board. He nodded at Mira and company. "Sup."

Adam and Kai continued to stare at him, while Mira smiled back and waved. Kai spoke first. "Dude! You're... but _how?_ You were..."

"Dead?" Skeet exchanged a glance with Mira. "So I've been told."

Adam turned to Mira, brow furrowed. "You _knew_ about this?"

Mira shrugged. "I _told_ you guys I had something to show you today."

"Well you never said that _something_ was _Skeet!_ " squeaked Kai, gesturing wildly.

These guys were weirding Skeet out now. Well... a little bit. But that didn't mean he couldn't have a little fun with their bewilderment. He sat down in the one open chair at the table, smiling. "Well _I_ wasn't expecting to see _you_ guys here either. Just Mira. So I guess we're even."

Mira gestured toward Skeet. "Guys, meet Skeet 2.0. Skeet 2.0, Adam and Kai were my teammates in the Hollow. That's why they're here."

 _The Hollow_. Maybe _that_ was the thing he couldn't remember about those three. Mira mentioned it a lot yesterday but the name never seemed to stick. _That_ made sense.

Kai laughed--- a soft, nervous little chuckle--- and kept his eyes on Skeet. The little dude nudged the open donut box toward Skeet, trying very hard (and failing way harder) to pretend he wasn't super uncomfortable. "Uh... hey, buddy! ...Donut?"

Skeet wasn't going to refuse a free donut. He dragged the box to himself and picked a chocolate glazed--- the best kind. The strawberry glazed looked pretty good too. And the regular old glazed? Too classic to pass up.

Kai leaned into one of his palms, eyes narrowed. "I said _donut_. Not do _nuts_ ," he muttered.

Adam rubbed his chin, scrutinizing Skeet with the intensity of a laser pointer. "Skeet 2.0? So he's not... _our_ Skeet."

"Nope." Mira met his gaze as he took a big bite of the chocolate glazed. "But _somehow_ , whoever still has access to this game must have intervened, or else... by some _miracle_ , a new Skeet was born."

OK. Really weird being talked about in the third person. _Especially_ by Mira.

"But didn't Gustav cut off access to Hollow Life?" asked Adam.

"Maybe the game can create new characters on the spot?" Kai theorized.

Skeet finished the donut just as a new pang of annoyance kicked his stomach.

"Don't _think_ so," said Adam. "Nothing in a game is created by accident. Characters and worlds have to be built from the ground up. _Everything_ about a game is by design. Unless it's a glitch."

Skeet bit his lip, rapidly losing his cool. What _was_ he, an _object?_

"Well he's _definitely_ not a glitch," said Mira. "Look at him! He's every bit as normal and... _real_ as the rest of us. He just doesn't remember the Hollow."

Skeet smacked the table hard with the palm of his hand. "OK, OK. Can we stop talkin' about me like I'm not here, please?!" he exclaimed. All three of his tablemates went silent. Skeet slumped back down in his chair, reeling himself back in. He folded his arms. "It's freakin' me out."

Mira scooted closer to Skeet and touched his arm, dark eyes apologetic. "I'm sorry, Skeet. That was _rude_ of us." She glared something back at Adam and Kai. They seemed to get the message right away, both at once looking a bit sheepish.

"Yeah. Sorry, dude," said Adam. "It's just that... well, when you've gotten used to everyone around you being an NPC..."

"Well I'm _not_ an NPC," Skeet insisted.

"All right, guys. Let's keep it civil." Mira looked Skeet in the eye. "Remember when I told you I could prove I was telling the truth?"

"Yeah. I remember."

Mira nodded toward Kai. "Fire, please?"

Kai blinked. "Me? Uh, OK." He held up one of his hands and, within a second, it had burst into a mass of golden flames.

Skeet backed away from the table so fast he nearly tumbled head-first out onto the street. "Whoah! What the...?" He drew a deep breath, at last processing what he was seeing with what Mira had told him. "Whoah-ho. Sweet power, dude!"

Kai chuckled. "Eh, it's nothin'." He passed the flame onto his other hand, tossed it into the air, and caught it back in the original hand. "Just a little pyrokinesis."

Kai seemed to know what he was doing, so Skeet pulled his chair back up to the table. He picked up his strawberry-glazed donut and started to eat it.

"Wait!" Kai's flame vanished. He leaned forward onto the table, fists bunched. "How did you know that was a _power_ and not just me setting my hand on fire?"

"Mira already told me Hollow players had powers," Skeet replied. "Besides, what sorta moron would set his hand on fire to pretend he's got powers?"

" _You_..." Kai shrugged and sat back in his chair. "You have a point."

"Do _you_ have your powers?" Adam asked. He now seemed genuinely curious. An object or not to these guys, at least they were asking him questions now. Like he was a human being and not some freak computer accident.

Skeet shrugged. "Like I told Mira, I haven't tried."

"Still?" Mira raised an eyebrow. "I told you about your super speed and you _still_ haven't tried to see if you have it?" Skeet shook his head. "Aren't you even a little bit _curious?_ "

Skeet thought about the question, chewing the last bite of his donut pensively. Like with the rainstorm question yesterday, he couldn't come up with a good explanation. "I guess not." _That's weird. Why wouldn't I wanna see if I had superpowers?_ "I don't know where to start."

Kai stood up and stared Skeet down, then cracked his knuckles. "I know how we can figure out if he has his powers or not," the boy announced with a smile. He lit his hand again and keeled it backwards, like a pitcher. "Ready, Skeet?"

Mira was alarmed. "Kai, what are you doing?"

Adam stood up beside Kai and grabbed him by the shoulder. "Kai, maybe you shouldn't---"

"RUN!" Kai threw a blast of flames into Skeet's face before he could even think to react.

Yet he reacted.

Something like electricity zapped through his entire body. Before he'd fully registered what was happening, Skeet had flung himself away from the table and thrown himself down onto the sidewalk, far from the scorching heat he'd felt a mere split-second before.

"Kai!" That was Mira. She sounded... distant.

Skeet uncovered his head and rolled over onto his side. He was in front of the coffee shop now, and he didn't know _what_ to think. He swiped his bangs out of his face. "What _happened?_ " he muttered to himself.

"But look! It worked," Kai defended himself. "I saw how fast he reacted to my fire earlier, and I figured if he still had his powers, they might kick in if he had a reason to run!"

"You could have seriously hurt him!" Mira cried. "Or _worse!_ "

Skeet stood and brushed bits of gravel from his pants. Was _that_ what it felt like? To move faster than... than he could even _think?_

"But he's _fine!_ Look!"

Skeet turned around to face the voices, just as Mira turned around to look at him. Their eyes met. She looked shaken to her core thanks to Kai's daring stunt, but Skeet was too dumbfounded to be angry with Kai for nearly burning his face off. He had quick reflexes so it was unlikely Kai would have hit him anyway--- but _this?_ This power was _insane!_ Skeet burst into a laugh. "Did you see that, Mira? I was like... _the Flash!_ " 

"See if you can do it again!" said Adam.

Skeet remembered the way the speed had seized his body moments ago. He felt a surge--- like an oncoming hiccup--- and zipped back over to the donut shop, where he halted beside the table. He wheezed another delighted laugh. "Dude! This is _awesome!_ " Forget the skateboard--- he'd be _running_ all the way home today!

To his surprise, Mira hurried up to him and started looking him up and down, mostly over his head and shoulders. She rounded behind him, where she fussed with the back of his hair for a few seconds. Skeet raised an eyebrow. "Um... what are you doing?"

"I'm checking to see if he singed you," said Mira. She came back around on his other side, still with an overly concerned look in her eyes. "That flame was _right up_ in your face before you moved and I wanna make sure you weren't hurt."

Skeet snorted. "Pff. Nonsense. I'm too fast for him." He lightly smacked her shoulder and smiled reassurance. "I was _never_ in danger."

"Well we didn't _know_ that until a minute ago." Mira finally relaxed and let out a sigh. She smiled up at him with a strong affection that Skeet (if he wasn't mistaken) had never seen in her eyes before. "I'm glad you're all right."

Skeet's mouth twitched upward before he had a chance to stop it. He got that lightheaded, floaty, stomach-clenching feeling he _always_ got when she looked at him like that. As little as he knew it meant in the long-term, he was glad she cared.

Satisfied with his safety, Mira turned back to join the others. Right as Kai was reaching for another donut, Mira snatched the box away from him. Kai balked. "Hey!" he squeaked.

"You tried to blow Skeet's head off; your donut privileges have been officially revoked. Besides, I paid for these." Mira closed the lid.

"I wasn't trying to blow his head off, I just wanted to get him to run!" Kai insisted, standing. He tried to snatch the box back from Mira, to no avail. Adam just shook his head.

Well, the special attention was fun while it lasted. Skeet's smile slipped from his face, the temporary high of Mira's expressed fondness simmering back down. He pushed it down further and forced a return to his default mode. Cool and careless. Mean and lean. A speed demon who was _footloose_ and _fancy-free_.

Well. Footloose, anyway. _Fancy-free?_ He sneaked another look at Mira, who had successfully defended her remaining donuts from Kai and now ate one in victory. His smile returned. _No_. Definitely _not_ fancy-free.

Skeet sauntered back up to the table and snagged his remaining uneaten donut. "Well, great seein' you guys," he said, "but I've got a superpower to try out. Catch ya later!" He put the donut in his mouth, saluted to Mira, and sped off down the road before anyone had the chance to object.

Or ask him any more questions, he thought bitterly. He'd had enough of feeling like a science experiment for one day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the kind feedback on the last couple chapters! I'm having fun writing this thing. This chapter ended up being twice as long as I'd thought it would be, lol. (Try "more words than this entire fic had in the first two chapters combined".) I could have gone further but then this chapter would have never ended. x.x
> 
> I only wish I could write this much on What Lies Beyond this quickly--- not to say I HAVEN'T written several thousand words on that project within a couple of days... it's just always on chapters not set to release next. XD Not so with this fic. This fic is short and plot-lite, therefore unintimidating.
> 
> -Cy


	4. Attempero

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Can you give me back_  
>  _What I left behind?_  
>  _Just tell me what it takes to go back in time_  
>  _I wanna stop it_  
>  "LST CNTRL" by Eralise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I take it that using Skeet's POV last chapter was a good move. This means I'll have to find a way to use his POV in future chapters. I have an endgame in mind (You and I both know the endgame... make sure these two get together! 'Tis the nature of the genre), but I don't know how long I will take to get there. This fic PROBABLY will not exceed 10 chapters but I can't be sure.
> 
> Also--- 100 hits already? Nice. :D

_A block_. He only lived a block away from Mira's house. Not a long walk. No excuse to not go over there more often. _Especially_ now. And after his abrupt exit from the scene that afternoon, Mira felt the need to check in on him.

 _Skeet still had his powers_. That _had_ to mean something, right?

Mira carried his well-loved skateboard in her arms, which he'd left abandoned on the sidewalk before she'd even had the chance to remind him to grab it. Along the way, she brushed bits of caked dirt and dust from the bottom. She took particular interest in the filth that had worked its way beneath the crusty edges of an Iron Maiden sticker, the oldest of all the band stickers he'd plastered all over the thing. It was the same skateboard he'd had since he was ten, and it had seen a lot of use in the five years since.

Mira constantly found herself amazed at how detailed the people, places, and things in this simulation could be. And somehow, _all_ of it was based on memory. But it couldn't have been _her_ memory. She'd never taken this close a look at Skeet's skateboard until today. The whole thing was so Skeet, and rendered in such specific detail, down to the individual shapes of the scratch marks. This was crafted from his memories, no doubt.

As Mira approached the house, she heard the distinct scream of an electric guitar cutting through the air. She smiled--- Skeet had picked up his hobby again. She spotted a partly-open window on the top floor, where she could just make out an elbow and the hem of a green t-shirt sleeve. She chuckled with an affectionate shake of her head. Always giving the neighbors grief with his love for rock 'n' roll. Mira knew for a fact they hated "that punk kid next door". Skeet didn't care; he'd once told her that whenever they'd knock down his door and force him to stop, he'd just play even louder next time.

And his playing was _already_ quite loud. Mira would have called out to him through the window, but there was no way he'd hear her over that shredding. She strolled up to the front door and knocked.

Skeet's mom opened the door. There was a tired look on her face--- perhaps she'd been expecting an angry neighbor--- but she brightened the moment she saw Mira. "Mira! It's been a while. What brings you?"

"Hey!" Mira held up the skateboard. "Skeet left this behind after our visit today; I was bringing it back."

Skeet's mom squinted at the skateboard, then nodded. "That's his all right. I'll go get him. Good to see you again, by the way!" She smiled and went back inside, letting the door fall mostly shut, save a six-inch gap. Mira peeked through the gap. Skeet's mom hurried to the stairs. "Skeet!" She waited a few seconds--- Skeet hadn't heard her. She marched halfway up the stairs and shouted louder. "Bernard!" Still nothing; he just kept on jamming. Finally, she lost it.

"BERNARD!! WILL YOU QUIT PLAYIN' THAT THING FOR A HOT MINUTE AND GET DOWN HERE?!"

The guitar squeaked to a cold stop. Mira heard a muffled "Ugh... fine," from the open window. Moments later he came trudging down the stairs. "What is it?" he grunted.

"Come say hi to your friend; she was good enough to bring you your skateboard back. Least you can do is come say thank you."

A few seconds later, Skeet pulled the door all the way back open. He gave her a cool smile, but still seemed to be in a dour mood. "Hey, Meerkat. Thanks for bringin' it back." He got a grip on the skateboard, then paused. He puffed a raspy laugh. "Not that I'll _need_ this old thing anymore."

Mira pushed it into his hands. "Keep it anyway. For the memories." He took it from her and tucked it under one arm, then began to close the door. Mira caught it before he got very far. "By the way, you've gotten pretty good with that guitar."

Skeet beamed a genuine smile this time. He ran his hand over the back of his hair. "Aw. I ain't _that_ good," he said. "Compared to the greats, I got a long way to go. I mean, look at somebody like... like Yngwie Malmsteen. That dude is _insane!_ "

Mira was about to respond, but something stopped her. A thought. _He's so accurate. How is he so accurate?_ Mira had enough questions as it was; if only there was some way to communicate to the outside world. Maybe _then_ she'd have an answer.

Skeet waved his hand in front of her face. "Hello? Mira? You there?"

Mira jolted back from her thoughts. "What?"

"You zoned out on me," said Skeet. He leaned into the doorframe, one eyebrow raised. "Did your _digital brain_ glitch out or somethin'?" He set the skateboard against the indoor wall.

"No... just thinking." She took a good, long look at Skeet--- not to scrutinize him this time, but to drink in the sight of him. Here he was--- narrow-faced, tall and solid-built, wearing baggy clothes. And to top it all off, messy golden hair sticking out of the roughed-up beanie he just couldn't part with, even to wash. Mira loved that he was here. _Not dead_. Yet that somehow felt so... so wrong. Nobody else who'd lost a friend had ever gotten that friend back.

Granted, nobody's friend had ever been a _digital clone_ before. Maybe this _was_ normal for a digital life... not that the _entire concept_ of "digital life" was normal by _any stretch_ of the imagination.

"About?" Skeet's tone was impatient... yet curious. He stepped out onto the porch and closed the door behind him.

"About... all this." Mira paced away and stood facing the street, arms folded. "It's all so... surreal."

"So the world is digital," said Skeet. He ambled to her side, hands shoved into his pockets. "And _we're_ digital. I got it." He sat down on the porch steps. "And _I'm_ not the _first_ digital Skeet." He folded his arms to his knees and rested his chin in them, a tight frown on his face. Mira thought he looked tired, and a bit miserable.

Mira sat down beside her friend. "Maybe not, but... you're pretty cool too." She smiled.

Skeet only seemed to frown deeper. "Yeeaah. ' _Pretty cool too_ '. Don't I feel special."

Mira's smile dropped. _Ouch... sarcasm_. "Did... I do something to upset you?" she asked.

Skeet sighed. His features softened, but there was still frustration written all over his face. "Not _you_ , specifically. It's just that earlier today, I felt like I was the subject of some sorta lab experiment. And _you've_ been tellin' me I'm not the _real_ Skeet. Not only that, but I'm a... a _copy_ or a _reboot_. There's the _real_ me out there somewhere, and there's another _digital_ me out there, _dead_. I'm just the _backup_."

 _The backup_. Something about that statement stabbed Mira right in the gut. It felt _personal_ , somehow.

"Skeet, no. Don't _look_ at it that way."

"How _else_ am I supposed to look at it?" Skeet held out his hands in a question.

Mira sighed. _How could she put this?_ She didn't want to risk further offending Skeet; she'd _never_ seen him this stressed out before. And her reaction to that fact was _visceral_. "Skeet... you are what you are. _Neither_ of us can change that. And..." She set her hand on his shoulder. "No matter how many of you existed before, _you_ are Skeet. You are _not_ a third-rate person. Especially not to me." She looked into his eyes as a guilty hand clutched her heart. A tear threatened to burst from her eye, but she held it back. Her tone softened--- dropped to a near whisper. "You're the only Skeet _I've_ got."

Skeet half-smiled. But it was a _good_ half-smile, like what she'd said had genuinely touched him. Mira half-smiled back.

"Well... I'll tell ya one thing I've got that real-world Skeet doesn't." He smirked. "I can play the guitar _waaay_ faster than he can." He formed an air guitar and supersped his fingers over the invisible strings, a corny grin on his face.

Mira laughed and gave him a playful shove. "You'll be playing with the best of 'em in _no_ time, I'm sure." A warmth rose up and filled her chest. She'd forgotten how naturally they vibed with one another. Why _didn't_ she hang out with him more often?

The door opened. Skeet's mom stepped out and stood in the doorway. "Skeet? It's time for dinner."

"In a minute," said Skeet. "I'm talkin' to Mira about somethin'."

Skeet's mom folded her arms. "Hmm. Mira, since you're here and you two are having such a great conversation, why don't you come in and have dinner with us?" She smiled invitingly. "I just happened to be making a vegetarian dish."

Mira held up her hand and started to get up, smiling apologetically. "Oh. Uh, thanks, Mrs. Bronson, but... no thanks. I've probably got dinner waiting for me at home."

"It's veggie lasagna."

 _Veggie lasagna?_ That was always her _favorite_ as a kid! Mira needed no further convincing. "Well... you drive a hard bargain. OK. But I'll have to call home and let my parents know."

"You're _stayin'?_ " Skeet had risen to his feet and now smiled down at her, surprised. "You haven't stayed and had dinner with us since, like... fifth grade!"

 _He was right! How had it been that long?_ "Sure. I mean... I'm here, I'm having a good conversation with you, and your mom made veggie lasagna." And a little more time with Skeet was all Mira really wanted right now. Besides--- he seemed like he could use the company. "What's not to stay for?"

Skeet laughed as the two teens disappeared inside the house. "I can't think of anything."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And I couldn't think of anything to end the chapter so I'll just leave that there!
> 
> My favorite part of this chapter to write was when Skeet was nerding out about fast metal guitarists. I am ALWAYS nerding out about my favorite bands and vocalists, so I can relate. XD Rawk on, Skeet.
> 
> This chapter is a bit later to come than I'd hoped; I didn't know what to do with it for a while. Plus I was working on "Infection" as well in between. Gotta work on my big projects too. :> And in case I do more Skeira stuff in the future I decided to put this and "Requiem" into a series, so all the stories can be under one roof if I do end up writing other fics about these two. Not necessarily connected to this one, though.
> 
> -Cy


	5. Reminiscor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _My restless soul is up tonight_  
>  _Walking the shadows of what's left of me_  
>  _Is there another way here?_  
>  _You say this well will not run dry_  
>  _So is there hope you feel the same as me?_  
>  _Cause I never saw the fall,_  
>  _And it was never-ending_  
>  "Hurt" by One Desire

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So the original plan was to put the next chapter in this chapter but I decided that both this chapter and that chapter combined would take too long to write. Because I got carried away and ended up writing 1,400-ish words on my intended first scene alone. That'd be stellar for What Lies Beyond (lengthy old bugger), but for a casual fic like this, shorter is smarter so I can release faster.
> 
> This chapter is almost entirely monologue and narrative voice so strap in. It's a lot of words for just exploring a character's head. XD

It had been a great dinner. But it had only been the icing on the cake to the thought-provoking day she'd had.

There was an old, perhaps trite saying that Mira had heard throughout her life. It had seemed so corny back then. Overstated. Something people said to make others feel sorry for undervaluing some commodity. Yet it had never seemed so true to her as it did now, in the wake of this strange new situation. It expressed her feelings perfectly, even now as she lay on her bed.

_You don't know what you've got until it's gone._

And maybe she _hadn't_ known what she'd had in Skeet for all those years. Maybe she _hadn't_ realized she'd been taking him for granted. He'd always been there through her childhood and into middle school and, although they didn't see each other nearly as often between first grade and high school, he was still a constant friend, always willing to hang out with her when no-one else was available. He never seemed to hold their irregular meetings against her either, so Mira never apologized for not hanging out with him more. They were _forever buds_ \--- that was just how it was.

Thinking about it now, a friend _that constant_ for _that long_ was difficult to come by for most. Unique. Unlikely. _Exceedingly rare_. Something worth treasuring. But Mira had taken Skeet so for granted that Adam--- her best friend for nearly as long as she'd known Skeet--- had had no idea she even _knew_ the guy. There hadn't been a close encounter, or even a _mention?_ She'd been treating him as... the _backup_. That punched her in the gut to consider.

 _Some friend to Skeet I was_.

Until tonight, Mira had been looking at this clone-Skeet as a fake. A hoax. Some sub-par duplicate of the boy she'd known since she was three. Mira had been questioning who he was for the past couple of days, but she'd finally come to a conclusion about him. He was _more_ than a duplicate of Skeet. He was a living, breathing, walking and talking second chance. A way to start again. Because this _was_ her Skeet now. Her _only_ Skeet. She wasn't about to throw away that second chance just because she couldn't figure out why he existed. He was every bit the same guy she knew and _loved_ , from the top of his purple beanie to the soles of his navy flats.

Wait. Did she just hear _that word_ in her head? Loved? _Skeet? Knew and loved as a friend? As a lifelong friend?_ But something in the pit of her stomach twirled, unconvinced. Her love for him felt... _stronger_ , somehow. Maybe, on _some level_ she...

No. Mira couldn't admit it to herself. Skeet had _never_ been a romantic interest of hers, even for a second. He was practically a _second brother_ , they'd known each other so long! Dating him would be like dating _Miles_ , for crying out loud! They were just friends and that's the way it needed to be; Mira was sure Skeet felt the same way. Just... good... _buddies_.

So why did that surety--- the thought of Skeet only seeing her as a good buddy--- make her feel so _disappointed?_ And conversely, why did the idea of Skeet seeing her as _something more_ make her feel so... _hopeful?_

 _No!_ Mira argued. _I do NOT... LIKE Skeet! That's just weird!_ But there were the butterflies again. And there was an image of his _stupid face_ in her head. His stupid, low-key charming face. The one where he got the little dimples in his cheeks. _That_ face.

Mira fell back onto her bed with a groan, picked up the big pink pillow, and smashed it down over her face. It didn't stop the warm, happy sensations from filling her up at the thought of such a dopey expression. _I'm just happy to have a second chance_ , she rationalized. _That has to be the reason I'm feeling so... so giddy about him_. Giddy. _That_ was a good word to describe this feeling. She wanted to laugh and giggle about him to herself all night. But due to her _messed-up feelings_ , she _also_ really wanted to cry.

She _knew_ she was starting to like Skeet, but she didn't _want_ to like Skeet. And because she didn't _want_ to like Skeet, she wouldn't let herself _admit_ that she liked Skeet. Simple!

 _Time for some self-counseling_ , Mira thought. She flopped the pillow aside with a sigh. "OK, Mira," Rational Mira began. " _Why_ don't you want to like Skeet?"

Emotional Mira let out a frustrated sigh. "Because he's messy and obnoxious, _not_ the brightest bulb on the tree, unwaveringly selfish..." Well, maybe that wasn't _completely_ accurate, knowing what his predecessor had done for her back in the Hollow. "He's always _running away_ from his problems instead of dealing with them. And he _always_ has to take the path of least resistance. Sorry. _Not_ my kinda guy."

But it wasn't like any of that stuff was _unbearable_ ; she knew how to put up with him after all these years. Everyone had their flaws, after all. Skeet was no different. Besides... he always seemed to stick his neck out for _her_.

"And beyond that, he's... well, he's just not my type. And... he's not even that cute." Gee, that was shallow. And also really rude, she realized with a grimace.

 _Great_. She couldn't even convince herself why she _shouldn't_ like Skeet. This was going over really well!

"OK... let's try this the _other_ way around," said Rational Mira. "What is there to _like_ about Skeet?"

Hormonal Mira sighed. "Let's see. Been there since I was three. Pretty goofy. _Not_ much of a fighter. Looks _really cool_ on that skateboard. Not a bad musician either." She smiled. It was a freeing feeling, at last allowing herself to enjoy thinking about Skeet. "He's just a lot of fun to be around. He's probably the only guy I know who can get me to forget about my problems." As much as she resented his problem-averse, perpetually-chill attitude on one level, she knew she needed that sort of influence once in a while. Particularly when she made the problems of her friends into her own.

" _So what?_ " he'd asked her once. " _That's not your problem_."

She'd argued that it _was_ , in fact, her problem. But by Skeet's droll expression, she'd known she'd lost the debate.

Then there'd been this one night back in 8th grade. She'd been on the verge of a panic attack over a particularly frustrating math assignment. She'd gone through her contacts list and had meant to call Adam, but her finger had been so shaky that she'd bumped Skeet's number instead. He'd picked up immediately and, upon hearing Mira's heavy breathing and panicked tone, had offered to come over and help. Somehow, after only ten minutes of chatting, Skeet had convinced her to leave the homework and go play video games at his house. Mira _still_ didn't know how he'd managed to do that.

They'd played games all evening without a care, but by the time Skeet had brought her back home, she'd given her friend quite the earful. How he shouldn't have let her stay so late when he _knew_ she had homework. How she was probably going to fail that assignment now, thanks to him. His nonchalant response to her berating him had been all the more frustrating at the time. But when Mira had returned to her homework that night, she'd found that she could think _so_ much more clearly. Within an hour, she'd completed the assignment.

She never _had_ apologized for yelling at him. Cue more guilt.

Mira's heart sank. What right did she have to judge Skeet for his flaws? She was just as messed up... if not _more_ messed up. Skeet had character flaws. Mira had _perception_ flaws on top of everything else. How had she not seen this before? Her casual attitude toward Skeet's friendship may have been _hurting_ him!

Of course, he played it off like everything was cool. The next time she'd seen him, he'd been just as happy to see her as he always was. Mira didn't know what she'd done to merit that sort of loyalty from him.

If only there was some way to make it up to him.

"Easy," said Mira. "Just hang out with him more." She could go with him to do something fun tomorrow--- something they'd both enjoy. Something that could give them a chance to just _have fun_ together. Something _nostalgic_ , too. Something like... Mira gasped. _That's it!_

She'd text him first thing in the morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just sayin'... Mira in this chapter is SO me when I develop a crush. I feel like Mira and I think on a similar wavelength. I do these little talk-throughs out loud and weigh the pros with the cons, and it just seemed like a Mira thing to do.
> 
> (I swear, every other word was italicized. I know it's tedious when I go to post a chapter, but I just keep on doing it because I LOVE my italics. XD)
> 
> -Cy


	6. Adventum

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _What's in the eye_  
>  _That I cannot catch?_  
>  _Is me I want to know_  
>  _Why it's so hard to let go_  
>  _Don't go too fast, my friend_  
>  _Or you'll lose control_  
>  "What's in the Eye" by Grey Daze

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well hello again! I'm sorry for such a long wait and I probably lost half my readership because of how long it took. This bloomin' chapter took WAAAY too long thanks to shiny new ideas, doing some animations, and good old fashioned writer's block. Oh, the writer's block. Skeet, why doth thy character voice keep leaving me?
> 
> I feel like my self-perceived deficiency in writing this type of fiction is bleeding through in this chapter, but overall, I like the material I've written. The more I use Skeet's POV the more I want to figure out what makes him tick.

_Lightning. Gross. Cold. Breaking. Darkness... Silence._

The dream faded from his memory the moment he woke up, but he still felt _off_ because of it. Despite a full night's rest (and a full morning's too), he woke up groggy and a bit unsettled. His skin crawled with this freaky, grimy sensation. For once, he really wanted to take a shower--- not that it would help shake this feeling. His stomach was tight and knotted--- as if he'd done something he'd seriously regretted in the last moment. Yet all he'd done was fall asleep.

 _Musta been a crazy nightmare_ , he thought, clutching his stomach in an attempt to ease the nausea. He groaned. For a guy who always woke up hungry, this total loss of appetite was disconcerting.

But it _did_ mean he'd let himself linger in bed longer. For _that_ , he was not about to complain! Skeet let his eyes slip shut, tucked his arms behind his head, and sank deep into his pillow with a sigh. He might feel like crap, but a few extra minutes to snooze wasn't a bad trade-off. Besides, now that he'd been awake for a few minutes, he was feeling a little bit better. The nausea, at least, was fading.

Skeet's phone buzzed at him. His eyes snapped open. He rolled to his side and fumbled about the messy side table for his phone, wondering who could be texting him. The frustration disappeared into pleasant surprise when he saw her nickname on the screen.

**Meerkat**  
_Hey sleepyhead! :) Want to go hang out somewhere tonight?_

_So soon?_ Weird for Mira. Then again, she was being way weirder than normal lately--- all because of that weird game she kept mentioning. The one he kept forgetting the name of. The one that he (apparently) owed a former death and a current life to... _Man_ , that gave him a headache. But, like the extra time in bed, Skeet wasn't about to complain about any of that. More time to hang with Mira was always welcome. He typed his reply, smiling.

**Me**  
_what you have in mind?_

**Meerkat**  
_Oh look, you're finally awake! :)  
Remember V-Arcadia?_

Oh yeah. That name rang so many bells it wasn't even funny. Scratch that--- it _was_ funny. He'd lost his first tooth there... but not in a fight like he'd told all the kids at school. He'd just bumped his face really hard on a kiddie ride and cried. Not his greatest moment. To that day only Mira knew what had really happened and it was embarrassing enough that he knew she'd seen that. Even though she _probably_ didn't remember it--- six years old was pretty young to remember.

They'd spent about half their meetings since then at V-Arcadia, rocking the classic arcade games, eating the salty, overpriced food, and spending hours playing VR titles and racing each other on virtual motorbikes. The greasy, grungy smell of the place was forever burned into his memory--- the smell of his childhood joy.

But neither of them had set foot in the place since fourth grade. There was no guarantee it'd be the same. But if Mira was gonna be there...

 **Me**  
_i remember. sure, lets go for it_ (thumbs up)

**Meerkat**  
_Awesome! 5:00?_

**Me**  
_sure_

**Meerkat**  
_That'll give us plenty of time  
I'll pick you up!_

**Me**  
_or you could go there and i'll come on foot_

**Meerkat**  
_Please_ (eyeroll), _I know you've been desperate to go for a ride on my bike ever since I got my license._

**Me**  
_um, super speed is cooler???_

**Meerkat**  
_You know you want to_. (eyes)

OK, he kinda sorta did. But he wasn't _desperate_ or nothin'.

**Me**  
_candy apple red? no way, too girly_

Mira sent a long string of eyes. Skeet narrowed his. What was she up to? He chuckled. _Silly Meerkat_.

**Me**  
_fine, whatever, pick me up on your girly bike_

\---

To be honest, though, her "girly bike" _was_ pretty cool. Even cooler was Mira pulling up in front of Skeet's house and skidding to such a perfect stop. Yet another reminder (that he didn't need) of why he loved this girl so much. She planted her foot in the grass and raised her helmet's eye shield to give Skeet a teasing smirk.

"All aboard the _Girly Express_."

Skeet zipped to her side and took a good look at the red motorbike, one hand in his pocket. "Your bike's not half bad," he admitted. He smiled something cheeky. "But it'd be loads cooler if it had a skull." He crawled onto the back of the bike, the smirk still lingering on his face.

"Well then it wouldn't be the _Girly Express_ anymore," said Mira with a snicker. She handed Skeet a black helmet. "Really, Skeet. Calling my bike girly. How childish." She punched his shoulder, then turned back around. Skeet put on his helmet just as Mira revved the engine."You might wanna hold on!"

 _Hold on?_ "To what?" Skeet didn't have any time to think about it--- Mira squeezed the gas and sped forward. Before he knew it, Skeet's arms were around Mira's waist as the bike continued to build up speed. He guffawed. "Wooooo-hooooo!"

He could practically _hear_ Mira's smirking grin. "Fast enough for ya, Skeet?"

"It's never fast _enough!_ " said Skeet. "But this is _close!_ " He let out another joyous howl.

\---

Nobody would have suspected that the coolest place on earth stood tucked away inside a humble, half-abandoned shopping strip between a salon and a small thrift store. The same places were still open, and nothing around V-Arcadia had changed. But when he and Mira entered the place, Skeet was met with an even better surprise. "Whoah-ho..." His eyes and mouth fell open. "It's _exactly_ like I remember it!"

Mira didn't seem surprised at all. "Of course it is," she said. "This digital world is based entirely on our memories. Ooh!" She scurried over to the front section, where the kiddie rides stood. She singled out the one that looked like a little red race car. "Look! It's the one where you fell out and lost your tooth!"

"Ah... ha ha." Skeet rubbed the back of his neck--- all the embarrassment came flooding back. "So... you remember that?"

"Of course I do," said Mira. "My parents bought us ice cream on the way back to celebrate, remember?"

Skeet thought about it. The only part about getting ice cream he could recall was nursing his sore jaw while _also_ trying to enjoy a soft-serve cone around a new, still-bleeding gap in his teeth. The ice cream hadn't washed out the taste of blood, and it _certainly_ hadn't washed out the bitter taste of wounded pride. "Yeah. But what were we supposed to be _celebratin'?_ "

"Um... losing your first tooth?" said Mira with a teasing lift of her eyebrow. "Kind of a big deal." She took his arm and pulled him forward. "Come on!" Her smile was teasing, but affectionate--- and her eyes were alight with that same affectionate glow. Skeet smiled back.

And suddenly, they were kids again, running across the colorful, grease-stained carpet and searching out their favorite games. Mira still had her full-access pass for unlimited games and rides, and it looked like they had the place mostly to themselves. Skeet had a grin plastered on his face as they settled down in the VR zone to race virtual motorcycles.

_This is gonna be a great night!_

And it was. For the next two hours, they raced increasingly ridiculous-looking motorcycles down increasingly absurd race tracks, their avatars decked out in increasingly bizarre costumes. Skeet, as "Speed Demon", rocked a sick skull-shaped helmet with horns, and a black-and-green armored costume with giant skulls as shoulderpads--- and his bike had twice the edge. He pretended to be upset when Mira's avatar "Lady Catalyst", in her cutesy black kitty-cat helmet and pawprint-speckled blue bike, outmaneuvered his glorious ride at almost every turn.

But she did that. She _always_ did that. Of course a smaller bike would give her an advantage. Skeet knew she knew this, and Skeet himself knew this, but Speed Demon was so cool he couldn't resist. So he wasn't exactly _lying_ when he'd tell her he let her win. But then, Mira was very, _very_ good at video games, and even if he'd picked a smaller character and bike, she'd probably still beat him nine out of ten times. And even then, it _still_ wouldn't bother him.

One thing that _did_ bother him, though? His stomach growling in the middle of their umpteenth race. Sure, they'd been at it for two hours, and Skeet kept losing, but he was having _fun_. With his best friend. His oldest friend. The friend he _still_ had a hopeless crush on all these years down the road. He'd forego dinner to make the night of fun last longer if he needed to.

But by the end of the race, it seemed Mira was hungry as well. She took off her headset. "All right, I think we've played this long enough. Let's take a break and get something to eat."

Skeet removed his headset and readjusted his beanie. "I hear that." He jumped out of the game booth and stretched, then ambled around the back to rejoin Mira. "Snack bar's callin' my name. If _you_ wanna do that. I mean, the food's not the best, and there's a pizza place further down the strip if you wanna..."

Mira nudged his shoulder. "Nah. I was feeling nostalgic for the snack bar myself." She smiled, gave him a cute _let's go_ sort of look, and sauntered down that way. Skeet followed, only half-aware of the goofy smile on his face.

The oily, unmistakable scent of fried food cooking grew stronger as they neared the infamous V-Arcadia snack bar. Infamous, because the quality of the food and the amount of money paid for said food didn't exactly _match_. Most of it wasn't _bad_ food--- it just wasn't worth the price, in Skeet's opinion.

Especially not the pizza, which actually _was_ bad food. It tasted like rubber. Three dollars a slice was absurd for a piece of rubber. But Skeet had fond memories of everything else on the menu, and if all of this was based on their memories, whatever he got was going to taste _exactly_ as he remembered it.

"What should we get?" Skeet wondered aloud.

"Well, I know what I'm _not_ getting," said Mira. "Half the _menu_." She pointed out some very sloppy, very meaty items on the menu which Skeet would have gone for if his head weren't still spinning from racing on so many twisty, winding virtual tracks. Or maybe that was the headache from contemplating the whole "sim within a sim" thing. Either way, he was a bit disoriented.

"I don't remember if they have vegetarian stuff," he said, rubbing his neck. He narrowed his eyes at the menu, as if squinting hard enough would make vegetarian menu items appear.

"Aside from snack food," Mira added. "I didn't decide to eat vegetarian until seventh grade."

"Ooh, hey! You're in luck," Skeet burst, noticing one. He pointed to it, flashing Mira a quizzical smile. "They've got veggie dogs!" he sang.

Mira sighed, relieved. "Glad _one_ of us subconsciously remembered that was on the menu," she said. "Veggie dog sounds good. Ooh, hey!" There was a shade of mischief ( _was_ that mischief? Or something else?) in her smile. "We could share an order of fries, if that's OK with you."

Her whole face screamed for him to say yes--- as if Skeet was going to refuse. He beamed. "Ha ha. Don't need to convince _me_." He readjusted his beanie. "Think I'll get a veggie dog too; I've never had one before."

"Glad I could encourage you to try one," said Mira with a smirk. At least, her _mouth_ formed a smirk. That affectionate glow in her eyes from before was still there--- stronger, even. Less teasing and more... more... _loving?_

Skeet tore his eyes away, his heart thumping. The longer she looked at him like that, the more inclined he was to believe the impossible--- that she was somehow giving him that look, and doing all this stuff with him, because she had feelings for him. He knew full well why she was spending so much time with him--- she missed her friend. He was the only Skeet she had now. Getting someone back from the dead was gonna be weird; he figured that was her reason to gawk at him like that. Give her a week and it would be back to the status quo.

There was no way she liked him. She was too good for him. Out of his league. Skeet was used to that. Heck, he was even cool with that. These new, extra-affectionate looks she was giving him? He wasn't quite sure how to process those yet. He _liked_ those looks; he just didn't know what they _meant_.

"Maybe one day I'll convince you to go full vegetarian," Mira teased.

Skeet chuckled as he stepped up to the counter. "Not today." He ordered two veggie dogs, one regular hot dog, one large order of fries, and two drinks--- a lemonade for Mira, and a Mountain Dew for himself--- his choice vice. He had just taken out his billfold to pay when Mira butted in beside him.

"I'll pay," she said, taking out her own wallet.

Skeet gently nudged her wallet away. "No, no, no. _I'm_ payin'. It's cool."

" _Skeet_." And there she went, giving him that " _I insist_ " face. Mira pushed his wallet aside and held it back. "Tonight was _my_ idea. Dinner's on me."

Skeet's brow furrowed. "OK." Watching as Mira paid the entire amount in cash, he couldn't help but feel a bit guilty. If he were with anyone else he would have weaseled his way out of paying for it without a care. But Mira? He didn't mind paying when he was with Mira. In fact, she'd usually _insist_ that he pay, since his orders always cost more than hers. He'd come to expect it--- like a tradition. If he'd known Mira wanted to pay, he wouldn't have ordered the extra hot dog--- the other food was expensive enough by itself.

Confused frustration clenched Skeet's stomach. Why would she _do_ that all of a sudden? "But... why?"

Mira leaned back on the hand railing, shrugging. "Why would you run through a rainstorm to come see a friend you hadn't seen in ages?" she asked, tone casual.

Skeet's brow furrowed. _That question again?_ That question made his head hurt even more than all that digital clone stuff _and_ sim-within-a-sim stuff combined. He knew the basic answer--- at the time, he had just _really wanted_ to go see her. But it had felt _deeper_ than that--- like a compulsion. He couldn't explain it. "I told you," he answered curtly, "I just _wanted_ to."

Mira smiled with soft smugness. "Exactly. I _wanted_ to. You _always_ pay when we eat out, and..." Her gaze shot down to her feet. The smug veneer fell, replaced with dead seriousness. "In the twelve years we've been friends I don't think I've _ever_ treated you to dinner before. It was about time I did." She took the food from the cashier, then headed toward one of the nearby tables.

Skeet followed. The clenchy feeling in his stomach deepened--- and so did his confused frown. "Hey... I know you missed me and all, but..." He scratched behind his neck. "Why the special treatment all of a sudden? I'm not goin' anywhere."

Mira set the food down on the table and made eye contact, hesitant. "I've... just been thinking. About us, and..." Her eyes shifted from side to side in thought. "Our friendship."

Skeet's heart jumped into his throat. He swallowed it back down. _She isn't talking about liking you, you idiot_ , he scolded himself.

"It's just that... you're always happy to see me no matter how long it's been since we've talked, and I..." Mira sighed. She looked deep into Skeet's eyes, her own full of sadness and regret. "I suppose all of this made me realize I've been... _kind of_ a bad friend." She shifted awkwardly, and her eye contact faltered, then fell. She sat down.

She... " _What?_ " Skeet's voice cracked. He plunked down into the seat across from her. "Are you _serious?_ "

Mira nodded.

"What are you _talking_ about, Meer? You're a _great_ friend!"

Mira smiled gratefully, though it was clear she was unconvinced. "I mean it. You mean a _lot_ to me." Skeet didn't want to press the issue, so he smiled and left it at that. He collected his food from the tray and picked a fry.

Mira raised an eyebrow. "How much?" She munched a fry, watching Skeet intently.

 _The whole world_ , Skeet wanted to say. _Should_ he say that? "A _lot_ ," he said instead, picking up his veggie dog. "We grew up together... and we still hang out. Maybe not as _much_ as we could, but... that's got nothin' to do with it." He pointed the veggie dog at her to emphasize his final statement. "Don't _ever_ try to tell me you're a bad friend again."

Something sparked in Mira's eyes--- there and gone so fast that Skeet didn't have time to read it. Her smile grew brighter, though, so he must've said _something_ right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm pretty miffed now because this chapter kept me stuck in writer's block for so long that I'm a bit tired of it for the moment, even though I estimate maybe TWO more chapters? Unless I bite my own sequel bait.


	7. Consilium

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _So what's the right direction?_  
>  _I still need to know where I'm from_  
>  _'Cause now my heart is on the run_  
>  "Hurt" by One Desire

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter came together ages ago, but the beginning of the Adam scene just WOULD NOT come to me for the longest time, and I wanted to focus on What Lies Beyond. Eventually the motivation for this fic just sorta left me. Since the work on WLB will be less intensive for the time being, I'm going to try to finish this fic.
> 
> And look, I whooped the writer's block (8 months of writer's block... yikes) and got a new chapter up in time for Valentine's Day! (*Flashbacks to Infection Chapter 4's opening author's note*) Hope you like it! Don't hesitate to re-read if you're coming back after all this time.

Mira rolled to a stop in front of Skeet's house at a few minutes past nine. Skeet dismounted and took off his helmet. He seemed genuinely happy. Mira smiled. "I hope you had fun tonight."

"Aw yeah," Skeet confirmed, handing Mira the helmet. "I had a great time. Thanks for takin' me."

Before Mira could respond, Skeet threw his long arm over her shoulder and pulled her into a hug. Mira warmed at the sensation. A blush came on--- _of embarrassment that I'm feeling this way; seriously, Mira?_ She couldn't believe that she was falling for him. They were buddies. _Just old buddies!_ Old buddies rekindling a friendship.

But there was no reason it couldn't become something... _more_... than friendship. Right? Especially after... _whatever_ that was she'd seen tonight.

Skeet zipped to the door, then turned to wave at Mira. "G'bye, Meerkat! See ya again soon, OK?"

Mira smiled and waved back. "Of course!"

"Great." He smiled warmly, waved one last time, and disappeared inside.

Mira chuckled to herself and revved the engine. Who was she kidding? He _was_ pretty cute sometimes. She sped back home, a happy smile on her face and giddy flutters in her stomach.

\---

The next evening, Mira sat on her bed, staring down her latest sudoku. She tapped the Bic pen on the edge of the booklet over and over, unable to focus on the puzzle.

She'd been like this--- head in the Skeet-shaped clouds--- ever since last night. She'd been there in the morning too, her mind too glued to her friend (crush?) to think about much else for too long. Miles had noticed immediately and, in his own annoying way of showing concern, had alerted their parents then and there at the breakfast table. Cue both dads asking her how she was. It was appreciated on some level, but Mira was _fine_. And she'd said as much, with a smile on her face. She felt great. She was just thoughtful.

Speaking of Miles, Mira was honestly surprised that Miles had never brought up how much time she'd been spending with Skeet. He hadn't even _suggested_ that there was anything going on between them--- no teasing her about a "boyfriend" or some such nonsense. Had the idea of _Skeet as a boyfriend_ never crossed her mind? To the point where an AI of her brother, based on _her memories_ and more annoying than ever, couldn't even consider _teasing_ her about it?

The idea, once foreign, sure had crossed her mind now. And ever since their mealtime conversation last night, she hadn't been able to shake it. But that little talk had been the moment--- the moment when she'd had that fateful thought.

_He loves me_.

She wasn't sure _how_ she'd realized it--- and she didn't know if she had, perhaps, only seen what she'd wanted to see in his eyes. But when Skeet had looked at her and told her all those things about how much she meant to him... something in Mira's head had clicked. How had she not seen that _light_ in his eyes before? Blinders off--- she was convinced that he saw her as something _more_ than an old friend. She couldn't say for sure if she'd imagined it, or if he even had "romantic" feelings for her. But what else _could_ it be?

Unless, of course, she was imagining it. At the time, it, whatever it was, had been so convincing. Was it the look on his face? His tone of voice? That warmth in his eyes? The horror he'd expressed when she'd told him she felt like a bad friend? The force in his tone when he'd reprimanded her?

"Don't _ever_ \---" and he'd emphatically pointed his food in her direction, "---try to tell me you're a bad friend _again_." The almost threatening quality of his voice on that last word indicated he was serious. _So_ serious about their friendship that his cool had briefly slipped. The aloof mask had fallen. Mira had caught a glimpse of Skeet's _passion_ for, well... the two of them. If just for a fleeting moment. There were very few things that Skeet was passionate about, and they were usually activities--- not friendships. Their friendship truly _was_ something different to him.

But was it possible that it was different to him because he _liked_ her? One moment wasn't enough to jump to that conclusion, yet there she'd gone. And if he felt that way, why didn't he just _say_ so? What was he afraid of?

Mira feared she knew the answer to that question. He was afraid of being laughed off because he _knew_ she was oblivious to his advances, if he had indeed made any. Skeet may not think too deeply, but he was observant. Observant enough to notice she'd only seen him as a friend. Guilt stabbed her through the gut and twisted the knife. Despite what Skeet had told her, she still felt like an icky excuse for a friend. What childhood friend _didn't_ notice the guy she was supposedly _so close_ to had developed feelings for her?

If he indeed had developed feelings for her. Mira felt like he might have. But she couldn't know for sure. Despite living as the only girl in her house, and having more male friends than female friends, guys were still a mystery to Mira in some ways. Like, how was she supposed to know if one had a crush on her? She wasn't used to that sort of interaction. Not from Adam or Reeve, and certainly not from her family. She hadn't even realized that Kai, as obvious as his attempts to impress were, had a crush on her until he'd gibbered it out during their first night in Hollow Life.

But Skeet wasn't Kai. Mira had known Skeet longer. Kai might be obvious about his feelings (even if he lied about them more often than not), but Skeet wasn't going to do anything that might get him rejected. In his mind, it was easier to take the loss than to take the chance. A horrible mindset if there ever was one, but that was the way Skeet thought--- and it was a solid explanation for how he'd never just told her how he felt.

... _If he indeed had developed feelings for her_.

Mira groaned. This thought pattern could circle for ages. She needed to talk this through with someone. There was only one person whom Mira could talk to about such thoughts.

And that person just happened to be having a pancake breakfast in the morning.

\---

Adam was as welcoming as ever when Mira showed up for those pancakes. Puddles the terrier also expressed his excitement, pattering around her feet, barking her name, and yelping about how happy he was to see her after so long since her last visit... over and over and over. Being able to understand Adam's dog was going to take some getting used to, although his topic was not unexpected.

Adam himself had something to say about how long it had been since they'd talked; she'd been so preoccupied with Skeet that she'd neglected to even _text_ Adam since their meeting at Holey Donuts. So he was aware enough of the basic situation with Skeet--- he just had _no idea_ about her swelling _feelings_ toward the guy.

And as much as she wanted to take this time to forget about that particular affliction of hers, she also needed to figure out if it was an affliction of _Skeet's_ as well. She was here to enjoy Adam's company and hang out with him, but she also needed his advice. Sure, Adam hadn't been in a relationship yet either (although he'd been on a one-time date once or twice), but Mira trusted him _way_ more than she'd trust Kai with the ever-loaded question--- _How do I know if my crush likes me back?_ The guy might get the wrong hint, then be sorely disappointed--- and Mira didn't want to needlessly hurt Kai.

Adam's thoughtful analysis of any given situation was not only comforting, but trustworthy. And he was a guy, so who better to ask about _guys?_ She may as well give asking his advice a shot.

Soon the best friends were seated in the kitchen, side by side. Adam cut into his pancakes. "One of these days we'll have to invite Kai to breakfast," he said. "He's part of our team. I'm sure he'd love my mom's cooking."

"Well, you never invite _Reeve_ ," Mira pointed out. She took a bite. "Besides, Kai would hork down all the pancakes before the rest of us could even _look_ at them."

Adam snorted laughingly. "C'mon, Mira. He's a fast eater, but he's not _that_ fast."

_Fast_. Mira shoved aside the Skeet-thought. _For goodness' sake, I'm trying to spend time with Adam--- my best friend--- and I STILL can't get Skeet off my mind!_

"I'd like to have him over at least _once_. You're right, though," Adam continued. "Pancake breakfast is _our_ thing." He ate a forkful.

"Yeah," said Mira. She nudged a bit of pancake through a pool of syrup, thoughtful. "Besides. I can talk to _you_ about things I wouldn't _dare_ discuss with Kai."

Adam smiled softly. "Like what?"

"Like... secrets. Silly stuff we did as kids. Cute guys. Middle school." She searched Adam's face--- he was listening intently, warm brown eyes fixed firmly. Her fork silently slipped from her hand. "Can I... ask you a question?"

"Sure." Adam nodded to make sure she knew he was still listening, then dug back into his breakfast.

"How would I know if... _hypothetically speaking_... how would I know if a guy liked me?"

Adam raised an eyebrow. "That depends on the guy." Blunt.

"Just... generally speaking," Mira urged. "Any... _signs_ , or... things like that."

Adam's brow dipped. "Uh... I guess... looking at you a lot?" He twirled his fork between his palms, gears turning. "Treats you differently?" He shrugged. "That's the best I can think of. Everything else really depends."

"O...K." _Helpful enough_. Skeet did _both_ those things. "And... if I wanted to ask a guy I _think likes me_ out... what would be the best way to do it?"

Light dawned on Adam. Slowly, an amused half-smile crept onto his face. He leaned back in his chair, folding his arms. "Mira... are you asking me for dating advice?"

Mira cleared her throat, face heating up like a furnace. "Uh... Maybe."

"Let me guess." Adam raised a cautious finger. "...Skeet."

Mira nodded, growing hotter.

" _That_ figures," said Adam. He leaned forward again. "You've been spending a lot of time with him since he... yeah." His eyes darted back down to his pancakes.

His unsure tone did not escape Mira. "It doesn't matter why he's back," she said, sharper than intended. "He's _here_ now. And... a couple nights ago when we were hanging out, I got the impression that he might see me as _more_ than a friend. And I think... I think I might... like him too. As more than a friend." She tried to swallow her awkwardness.

Adam chuckled. "I figured as much," he clipped.

Mira barked a laugh in return. "It's so embarrassing," she chuckled, barely restraining her smile.

Adam raised an eyebrow. "What makes it _embarrassing?_ "

Mira ran one hand down her sweltering face, heart beating ever faster. "He's... he's like... well, until the other day I'd _thought_ he wasn't my type. But in just _four days_ I haven't been able to stop thinking about him. And... _feeling_ about him. Him and his stupid face." She shook her head, pushed her plate aside and planted facedown onto the table. "I'm a wreck," she mumbled through her arms.

Adam was silent for a while, besides the clinking of his fork against his plate as he finished the last bite of his breakfast. He shifted. "Hey. I'm not that great at reading people, and... there's no way to know for sure unless you ask him to his face, but..." Mira peeked up at him. A smile tugged at his cheek. "I saw the way he looked at you, and talked about you, back when we were stuck in the Hollow. And the other day, at the donut shop."

Mira's eyebrows rose. "Yeah?"

"My gut tells me he likes you."

Mira's breath hitched.

"If you wanna ask him out, just ask him out."

_So even Adam can tell if Skeet likes me? How dense am I?_ Mira lamented.

"Hey Mira?"

Mira looked up. "Hmm?"

Adam gestured down toward the floor. "You might wanna finish your breakfast before Puddles thinks it's for him."

Mira glanced down at the floor, where the little white-and-brown terrier sat waiting, big dark eyes gleaming hungrily. ' _Pancakes!_ ' he barked. His little tail wagged with anticipation.

Mira dragged the plate back in front of her and gave the dog a sour look. "These are mine," she said. Then she took a big bite for emphasis.

Puddles whined and twitched an ear, drooping. ' _Gee. You don't have to be so rude about it_.'

\---

At one in the morning, Mira was still awake, planning her next move.

Adam had suggested that Mira go for it. That she should ask Skeet out for an honest-to-goodness date. Would Skeet even be interested in a "date"? Whether he would or not, Mira was going to ask him out. Mira felt like Skeet liked her, and Adam did too. Those odds seemed pretty good.

Still, to be on the safe side, Mira wouldn't call it a "date" right off the bat. She didn't want it to get weird over the phone. If it was gonna get weird, she'd rather it happen in person. There was still a small chance that he'd run away--- or worse (maybe better; Mira was still confused), he could have no romantic feelings for her at all. Giving Skeet the opportunity to hang up and end the conversation before fully resolved would only drive Mira crazy.

Besides... Mira needed some way to coax her friend into telling her if he had a crush on her.

But where could they go out together? It couldn't be too formal--- that'd be weird. It couldn't be too _in_ formal--- then it would feel like just another hangout and the whole date would pass without a single mention of feelings. If she hoped to encourage a confession out of Skeet, a romantic mood was vital.

Her first thought had been video games, but there was nothing romantic about that. Meeting over gaming was too _normal_ for the two of them. A concert? No... if any of Skeet's favorites were in town, he'd have mentioned it. Plus, the music would be too loud; there would be no chance for _any_ sort of conversation. A movie, maybe? A couple seeing a movie together always had a low-key romantic context. It had potential.

But knowing Skeet, he'd just comment on the movie the whole time instead of talking _with_ her. And the sort of movies Skeet liked were _not_ the sort of movies Mira liked. Mira liked a little heart, a little action, and a whole lot of character development. Skeet was a hard-action thriller guy--- the gorier the better. She could see him now, chowing down on popcorn and guffawing at the screen as a few hundred men got shot to bloody pulps, gore and brains flying everywhere.

Definitely _not_ romantic.

The best thing for them to do, as cliche as it was, would be to go get food together. For dinner--- lunch was too casual. Somewhere with a good selection of vegetarian food. Picking a place that both of them enjoyed wouldn't be too difficult. Skeet wasn't a picky eater by any stretch of the imagination, and would eat whatever was set in front of him without complaint. He'd eat a plate of cooked asparagus and tofu just as happily as he'd eat his favorite--- a cheeseburger and fries. But most of the vegetarian-friendly restaurants were either too formal or too casual--- bringing her back to her initial dilemma.

_What should I do?_

Maybe... _Maybe_ she should just ask _him_ where he wanted to eat. Yeah! That could work. She didn't need to decide on everything for him. She could call him right now and clear her head. Sure, it was late, but that night owl was probably still awake.

Mira called Skeet's number and waited, heart pulsing. She beamed when a tired but chilled-out voice answered. "Heeeey, Meer. What are _you_ doin' up so late?" She could _hear_ the smile in his tone. The faint metal music playing in the background stopped.

"That depends," Mira said, tone teasing. "Why are _you_ up so late?"

"Video games. What else?" He cackled.

"I get the feeling you do this a lot."

"All summer long, baby," Skeet assured. His voice hushed. "Just don't tell my mom, OK? She _hates_ it when I play video games so late."

"Oh, I won't," said Mira. "But she _probably_ already knows."

"Eh, whatever. She hadn't said nothin'." The distinct crunch of potato chips sounded on his end of the line. "So, why are you up callin' me so late? Somethin' botherin' ya?"

"No... I was just thinking about some stuff. And I've got a couple of questions," she answered cheerfully. "First. You up for a bite tomorrow night?"

"Ha ha! When am I not?"

"Second. Got any _nice_ restaurants in mind? Not _too_ nice, but... still nice."

There was silence on the other end. "Uuuuhhhh..." Further silence. Now Mira felt awkward. Were the "date" implications of that question too forthcoming? She hoped not.

"Let's see... Uh, you like Italian food, right?"

Mira nodded, breathing a sigh of relief. "Yes! Yeah, I do."

"I know a place," said Skeet. "I've been there a couple of times. I haven't tried it but I've heard their spinach and tomato calzone is _killer_."

"Hmm." Mira smiled. "Sounds like a good choice. Tomorrow night, let's say... Seven?"

"Arrite! It's a date."

Mira's heart jumped out of her chest and into her throat. She swallowed it back down. "Yep! See you then." They bid goodbyes and hung up.

Was he onto her? Or was it an unintentional choice of words? Or, could it be... his choice of words _was_ intentional? Was Skeet even _capable_ of thinking that fast?

Either way, the butterflies were back, and it was all she could do to settle down and fall asleep that night.

_Tomorrow_. Tomorrow she'd have her answer. Her _closure_. Tomorrow, she'd know exactly how Skeet felt about her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was fun to write. Not much Mira/Skeet interaction but you can bet Adam's pancake breakfast that the next chapter will be full of it. It's pretty fluffy by my standards, lol.
> 
> Whenever that will be. Again, trying to finish while I don't have as much to do on WLB.
> 
> In the meantime, here's a -BONUS- link to my Mira/Skeet art gallery from my personal website. ;) PS, I would love it if some artistic readers did some art for this fic. For ANY of my fics, really. I have art galleries set up for all of them and it'd be cool to include some reader-submitted content. And Mira/Skeet could use more love.  
> https://cyrokincharacters.weebly.com/meminisse-te--art-gallery.html


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